This request is for renewal of a research training grant in cardiothoracic surgery, originally funded in 1994. The overall aims of the program are to provide a stimulating environment and research training for academic cardiothoracic surgeons. The specific goals of the program are to: 1) attract the most innovative, inquisitive, diverse, and motivated candidates;2) provide them with the highest possible level of training in the basic science of cardiovascular and pulmonary physiology and disease;and 3) foster critical thought and prepare the trainees for an independent academic career and leadership role. An advantage of the program is its interdisciplinary approach to scientific problem solving in which problems recognized clinically are studied in animal models of human diseases at the integrative, cellular, and molecular levels, which can then be applied clinically. The most important component of this training program is its faculty which includes 14 primary mentors from the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery (CTS) and 24 basic science collaborating faculty who interact with the trainees in their research programs. All faculty are established investigators, with over $14 million of NIH support. They represent ten separate academic departments. In addition to the formal peer reviewed research support, the Division of CTS has provided an additional $3 million in the last five years to insure all of the trainees have the resources needed for their training. Candidates are MDs or MD/PhDs who are predominantly selected from academic general surgery programs and who have an interest in becoming academic cardiothoracic surgeons. In the last ten years, the CTS laboratory has trained 92 postdoctoral fellows. Twenty of these trainees were supported by the present training grant. Since the program's inception, 50% of the trainees supported by this grant who have completed their clinical and research training are now in academic medicine. We propose to continue and expand the training program and are requesting support for six trainees. (END OF ABSTRACT)